Charles e



(No Model.)

O. R. COLLINS.

'RAILROADQSIGNAL.

No. 270,205. Patented Jan. 9,1883*.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES R. COLLINS, OF- LA FAYETTE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO JOHN SOHRACK, OF SAME PLACE.

RAILROAD-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 270,205, dated January 9, 1853. Application filed May23, 1882. (No model.) 7

To all whom "it may concern Be it known that LCHARnEs R. (JoLLINs, of La Fayette, in the county of Tippecanoe and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad- Signals; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of refe rence marked thereon, which form partof this specifieation, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through my improved revolving night-signal, showing means for revolving the same. Fi g.

[5 2 is atop view of Fig. 1 with the lamps removed.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

. This invention is intended to provide a safe and reliable nightsignal for use on railroad freight-trains, (and in other places,) which will be visible at sat'e distances to the employs of following trains, conveying reliable information as to direction and speed of trains ahead. 2 It will also inform the employes of a train carrying the light when breakage occurs and the speed of the detached sectionis reduced or reversed on an upgrade, as will be 'fully understood from the annexed drawings and the folo lowing description. V t

The letterA designates a base-plate from which radiate armsB B. The center of the base-plate has a tubular extension or hub, G, and a beveled spur-wheel, D, rigid with it. The arms B B have cups E E at their extremities adapted to receive and hold in place lamps G designates a base-frantic from which rises a standard or shaft, H, which passes through 0 the center of the'table or base-plate A and the hub 0 thereof, and bears on its upper end a lamp, J The frame G is constructed with av bearing, a, for ashaft, K which has keyed on it a beveled pinion, K, which engages with 5' the beveled spur-wheel D. The shaft K receives rotation from the motive power derived from the locomotive, or from the truck-wheels ofa car or passenger-coach while in motion, by means'of gearing or theequivalent thereof.

The lamp J is surrounded by a shade, J, made of white glass, or of such transparent materialtor colored glass) as may be found most convenient and serviceable for the purpose. I

of a red or any other colorwhich may be deemed most efficient. The colored lights F F will revolve around the'central light, always turning in an established direction as long as the car is moving ahead, and reversing when the car is backing, or at a standstill when the car'comes to a stop.

In practice I place at either end of the lookout, or whatever place the revolving lights are placed, lights of different colors, which must be placed in such positions as to be perfectly distinct from the revolving lights. Now if, say, I have for stationary lights bright green in one end and red in the other, when a person on a following train sees the green light and the red lights revolving lrom let't to right he knows that the train is going ahead. \Vhen he sees the red revolving lights revolving from right to left he knows that the train is moving backward. Of course when the train is at a standstill he knows that the lights will not be in motion. The lights F Fare intended to be of different colors from the centrallight.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination, with the revolving base and its arms carrying lamps, of the intermediate stationary-lamp and means f or revolving the said base-plate, substantially as described.

2. A signal consisting of a base, revolving radial arms, a central fixed post, a stationary frame, a bevel-wheel on the said base, a shaft, K, and a pinion which engages with the said wheel, and afixed light and revolving lights, substantially as described.

In testimony that. I claim the foregoingas 0 my own I affix' mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

' CHARLES R. eoLLms.

Witnesses ALEX.. TILLMAN, MARTIN MONGK.

The lamps F F may be provided with shades 55 

